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G. E. EVANS CENTRIFUGAL SUGAR MACHINE.

No.-6 8,356. Patented Sept. 3, 1867.

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GEORGE E. EVANS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent'Na. 68,356, dated September 3, 1867.

IMPROVED GENTBIPUGAL' MACHINE .FQR WASHING SUGAR.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CON OERN:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. EVANS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts,

have invented an improvement in Ceutrifugal'Apparatus for Washing Sugar; and I do hereby declare that the I following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. v p

The nature of my invention will appear from the following statement as to the former and present condition of the art of washing or purifying sugars. Until quite recently there was no known means'of cleaning or purifying the crude dry brown Havana or New Orleans sugars, except by re-crystallizing them. For a. long time tubs, known as ccntrifugals, rotated at a great velocity, were used for washing sugars when mixcd with sirup -or liquid. When sugars so mixed were placed in ccntrifugals, provided with perforated sides, and rapidly rotated, the centrifugal action caused by the rapid rotation ofthe tub caused the viscid mass of sugar and sirup toform an interior wall within and around theside of the centrifugal tub, and the liquid portion, inconsequence of the centrifugal action, passed through the wall of sugar and the perforated sides of the centrifugal, leaving the sugar which was, mixed with the liquid in a wall within the sides of" the centrifugal tub. Until quite recently this process of washingcould 'nbt be applied-to dry sugars, as they wouldnot form a self-sustaining wallaround the interior of the centrifugal of uniform thickness. It has been'a' desired object to form a wallet uniform thickness within the centrifugal tub' and concentric with'it. It is indispensable that the well should have a uniform thickness, in order that the sugars shouldbe evenly washed. To accomplish this object a cumhrous basket and cover had been used, as in the apparatus patentedby Alexander Mackey and Eberhardt Miillcr. The objection to the apparatus used by Mackey and Miiller is the expense of altering the centrifugalcommcnly used, which is at least one hundred and fifty dollars to each machine; the expense of repairing.the baskets, the resistance of the air, caused by the covers diminishing the revolutions of the centrifugals, and the obstruction of the bottom of the centrifugal tubs by cleats 'usedto retain the baskets in position, rendering it diflicult to shovel out the sugar after being-washed. The centrifugals fitted for Maekey and Miillers apparatus can be used only for dry sugars, and cannot be used for sugars containing sirup.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a cheap apparatus for forming the wall of dry sugar, which apparatus is subject to none of the objections above stated.

The apparatus used by me is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, exhibiting a sectional view. 7

Within the fixed cylindrical tub A is placed the inner centrifugal tub B, with perforated sides. The cen trifugal tub B revolves upon the spindle G, being supported'by the fixed eonoD. The fixed cone D is not;

essential, as obvious equivalent devices may be used for supporting the centrifugal tub B on the spindle. The apparatus, as thus far described, has been commonly used. That which I have devised, and claim as new, is the removableand adjustable cone E, which I call the wall-former, which is usually formed of tinned iron, although the material is unimportant. This cone is so constructed that when in place its diameter shall corre spend with tho perpendicular axis of the centrifugal tub, and also that there shnllbe a space between the bottom of the cone and the sides of the centrifugal tub sufiicient for the desired diameter of .the wall of sugar to be formed. The cone is so constructed as to be instantly and easily removable. For the purpose'of fixing it in place, and at the same time rendering it readily removable, I make use of the elastic wires or slips of steel F F, which grasps the fixed cone 1). If the inner cone is dispensed with, I make use of any equivalent means of keeping the cone E in place, and ,at the some time capable of beingreadily detached.

My improved apparatus is operated as follows: The sugar to be washedis dropped from a charge! above into the centrifugal tub, until the tub is about three-quarters full, the sugar lying upon and around the Wallformer E. Power is then applied to the centrifugal to cause its revolution- When the centrifugal is revolving ten or fifteen times in a minute, with a constantly increasing velocity, and as the centrifugal action capses the sugar'to rcccdc from the wall formcr towards the outer circumference of the centrifugal tub, I slowly lift the wall-former E -vertically by means of a cord passing over a pulley, and attached at G, while at the same time the revolution of the centrifugal is being rapidly accelerated- The combined centrifugal action, and the action of the wall-former as it is lifted upon the sugar, cause the formation of a wall of sugar of equal diameter con centric with the circular side of theeentrifugal tub. The sides of this wall of sugar are free from any of the ridges or irregularities consequent upon the use of basket wall-formers. It is indispensable to the formation of a suitable wall that the wall-former should be lifted in the manner described. If the cone is allowed to remain, the sugar will form a wall wide at the bottom and narrowing towards the top, the side of the wall having an inclination directly reverse to that of the cone. The unequal thickness of the wall prevent-s an even working of the sugar without great loss.

The advantages derived from the use of my apparatus are, that it can be applied to any centrifugal tub without alteration, and the tub may be used for dry or wet sugars. The cost of the apparatus istrifling. 'The weight of the apparatus is from eighty to a hundred pounds less than that of the basket and covers used in Mackey and Miillers apparatus; and I can work three charges of sugar while other machines are working two, while I can apply the water directly to the wall of sugar without the intervention of the basket.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure lay Letters Patent, is-

1. A removable cone for forming a wall of sugar in centrifugal machines, constructed and operated substantially as described; and

2. In centrifugal machines for washing sugars, I claim operating a removable cone placed within such con trifugalgby lifting it while the centrifugal is "being revolved for the purpose of forming a wall of sugar, i i-the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

GEO. E. EVANS.

Witnesses BYRON Ross, Jenn L.- HAYES- 

